NASCAR
Busch and Harvick Are New Monster Masters, Can They Conquer Dover Again?
Although Dover International Speedway is historically known as Jimmie Johnson’s best track, 2 other drivers are currently Monster Masters. Between the duo of Kyle Busch and Kevin Harvick are 3 of the last 7 Dover wins, as well as several more strong performances. They both enter as the favorites for Sunday’s Gander RV 400, so how likely are they to end up in victory lane? The stats show hit-or-miss chances for both past champions
Kevin Harvick’s Dover Stats
In 36 career starts at the Monster Mile, Kevin Harvick only has 2 wins. Both of Harvick’s Dover wins came with Stewart-Haas, in the 2015 Playoffs and this race a season ago. In the 10 races where Harvick has been in the 4 at Dover, his results are very hot and cold. He 5 top 10s, and has 5 finishes 13th or worse. 6 of these races have also seen Harvick lead at least 91 laps. In last season’s spring Dover race, the 4 led 201 laps en route to the victory.
In recent years, the 4 has been one of the fastest Monster masters, but his results do not always show it. Should Harvick be able to finish on Sunday without issue, the 4 may have a strong shot at the victory. Shockingly, Harvick is still winless this season, but Dover may be the 4 team’s best chance at their first win.
Kyle Busch’s History at Dover
Over the course of 28 Dover starts, Kyle Busch has 3 wins, 17 top 10s, and 1209 laps led. Busch has also been one of the fastest and most consistent Monster masters in recent years, with a win in the 2017 Dover Playoff race. While his speed has been near the top of the charts every time, Busch has similar luck to Harvick in terms of end results. In Dover’s last 10 races, Busch also has 5 top 10s, contrasting 4 DNFs in this time. One of those bad results was this race last year, where the 18 finished 35th after a drivetrain issue.
In what appears to be his hottest ever start to a season, Kyle Busch looks nearly unbeatable. With a worst-finish of 10th in 2019, the 18 is arguably the fastest and most consistent car in the series. Busch enters Sunday as the 3-1 favorite; it’s shaping up to potentially be another long day for the rest of the field. With 3 victories already in 2019, Busch is simply racking up Playoff bonus points.
At the 2 odds-on favorites for Sunday’s Gander RV 400, Kevin Harvick and Kyle Busch are 2 of the strongest Monster masters. However, 400 laps on a tough 1 mile concrete surface stand between both of them and another potential checkered flag.
Be sure to follow the for Dover updates @PeterStratta, and @T101_NASCAR.
